Caste, income and residence certificates in Bihar under RTPS: time limits and appeals (checked October 2026)

Last checked: 28 October 2026

For anyone in Bihar who needs a caste, income or residence certificate for an admission, a job, a scholarship or a scheme.

In Bihar you apply for a caste, income or residence certificate on the RTPS portal serviceonline.bihar.gov.in or at an RTPS counter. Under the Bihar Right to Public Services Act, 2011 the Circle Officer must issue it within 10 working days, or 2 working days under Tatkal. If it is late, appeal to the Sub-Divisional Officer within 30 days.

Bihar RTPS time limits for caste, income and residence certificates (appeal decision time in brackets)

How long does a certificate take in Bihar?

A caste, income or residence certificate in Bihar takes up to 10 working days from the Circle Officer, or 2 working days under Tatkal service. The General Administration Department's RTPS service list sets these limits under the Bihar Right to Public Services Act, 2011, which has applied since 15 August 2011. Under section 5(1) of the Act, the clock starts on the date you submit the application to the designated public servant or to staff authorised to receive it, and you must get an acknowledgement. Rule 6 of the Bihar Right to Public Services Rules, 2011 says public holidays are not counted, so the 10 days are working days. Within the limit the officer must either issue the certificate or reject the application with reasons in writing (section 5(2)). The same 10 working days apply when the Sub-Divisional Officer or the District Magistrate's authorised officer issues the certificate. If the deadline passes with no decision, you can appeal.

Forms used for each certificate

How to apply on the RTPS portal

The GAD application process flow gives three ways to apply at Circle level:

• Online without a login, through the direct service link on serviceonline.bihar.gov.in.
• Online with a login: fill the form, attach the annexures and submit.
• Offline at the RTPS counter, where an Executive Assistant enters your form.

Each way gives you an acknowledgement and an SMS and email about the submission. Keep the application reference number. The finished certificate comes as a link in an SMS, an email attachment, in DigiLocker, as a download from Track Application Status on the portal, or from the RTPS counter. To verify a certificate, the portal has a check by submission ID.

How long is each certificate valid?

The General Administration Department's notice on the RTPS portal says:

• A caste certificate stays valid for good.
• A permanent residence certificate stays valid for good. A temporary residence certificate is valid for one year from the date of issue.
• An income certificate is valid for one year from the date of issue.
• A person's caste is decided by the father's caste, not the husband's.
• Original documents are returned after verification.
• For a new non creamy layer certificate, or for a state government job, you can give an undertaking in the set format along with your old non creamy layer certificate instead of applying again each time.

Is my certificate late? Who to appeal to and by when

1. 1. First appeal

   Official contact

   To the Appellate Authority in the table above: the Sub-Divisional Officer for a Circle level certificate. Use the RTPS Appeal link on serviceonline.bihar.gov.in or apply on paper.

   Deadline

   Within 30 days of the rejection or of the time limit running out (section 6(1)). A late appeal can be admitted for sufficient cause. Decision time in the service list: 15 working days.

2. 2. Second appeal

   Official contact

   To the Reviewing Authority: the District Magistrate for a Circle level certificate, the Divisional Commissioner for Sub-Division and District level.

   Deadline

   Within 60 days of the first appeal order (section 6(3)). Decision time in the service list: 15 working days.

3. If the order is not obeyed

   Official contact

   If the officer does not follow the first appeal order to issue the certificate, apply straight to the Reviewing Authority (section 6(4)).

   Deadline

   Not set in the Act.

What the appeal rules say

The Bihar Right to Public Services Rules, 2011 set these points:

• No fee is charged for a first or second appeal (rule 9).
• The appeal must give your name and address, the officer's name and address, a summary of the order you appeal against, the grounds and the relief you want (rule 10).
• Attach a list of documents, a self attested copy of the order and copies of the documents you mention (rule 11).
• You get notice of the hearing at least 7 days before it (rule 14).

In the appeal the officer has to prove the delay or refusal was justified (section 6(6) of the Act). If the officer failed without good reason, the Appellate Authority can impose a penalty of Rs 250 for each day of delay, up to Rs 5,000, or a lump sum of Rs 500 to Rs 5,000 (rule 8). It is recovered from the officer's salary.

What the state does not publish

The GAD service list and the RTPS pages we checked do not give a fee for these certificates or a full list of supporting documents beyond the forms and affidavits above. Not published by the state on the pages we checked. The RTPS Appeal website did not open for us on 28 October 2026, so use the link on serviceonline.bihar.gov.in or file on paper.

Free first appeal template (Bihar RTPS, rule 10 fields)

Free to copy. It follows the fields listed in rule 10 of the Bihar Right to Public Services Rules, 2011. Replace everything in [square brackets] and delete lines that do not apply.

First appeal under section 6(1) of the Bihar Right to Public Services Act, 2011

To: The Sub-Divisional Officer, [Sub-Division name], [district]

1. Name and address of the appellant: [your full name and address, mobile number]
2. Name and address of the designated public servant: Circle Officer, [circle name], [district]
3. Service applied for: [Caste / Income / Residence] certificate, application reference number [number], submitted on [date]
4. Order appealed against: [the rejection order dated (date), in short] OR [no decision within 10 working days; the time limit ended on (date)]
5. Grounds of appeal: [why the rejection is wrong, or that no certificate was issued within the time limit]
6. Relief sought: Direct the designated public servant to issue the certificate, and take action under section 7 of the Act.
7. Other information: [anything else that helps]

Documents attached:
(a) List of documents
(b) Self attested copy of the rejection order or the acknowledgement
(c) Copies of the documents referred to above

Place: [place]
Date: [date]
Signature: [your signature]